What's Next For Damar Hamlin?

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was extubated on Friday morning and reportedly spoke to his team through FaceTime. He told them “Love you boys.”

Hamlin is breathing and speaking on his own, which is leaps and bounds from where he was even Tuesday morning.

The next big step is for him to be moved from the ICU to a regular hospital bed, then be discharged to rest at home. Football and a decision on whether he will continue playing is far in the distance and would be speculation at this point.

It also remains to be seen is what caused Monday’s incident. Commotio cordis has been brought up as a possible cause, but it’s becoming clear that more is in play.

Chris Pronger, the longtime NHL defenseman, is the classic commotio cordis case. Pronger was hit by a puck in the chest during the 1998 NHL playoffs and was resuscitated on the ice.

However, Pronger’s recovery was straightforward and he actually did not miss a game. He played 41 minutes in the next playoff game two days later.

Hamlin will undoubtedly undergo tests on his heart and lungs to ensure he doesn’t carry any risk going forward. The results of those tests will show doctors the best course of rehabilitation. 

It’s not impossible he is also dealing with broken ribs or a lung contusion from the CPR, which he received for roughly 9 minutes on the field.

Although Hamlin is showing great progress, there is still a lot to sort out. For now, it’s fantastic that Hamlin is alive and neurologically intact. 

Another bright spot of this ordeal is the over $8 million dollars raised through Hamlin’s GoFundMe.